


Something New

by gilshaelos



Category: Neopets, Original Work
Genre: Child Abuse, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, This is about my ocs but you can read it too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 10:26:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18871321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gilshaelos/pseuds/gilshaelos
Summary: George decides his life needs a change.





	Something New

**Author's Note:**

> these are my neopet ocs and some backstory about George

"Daddy."  
George looked to his left, his failing vision filled with his child's bright red fur. Their short stature and chubby face looked sleepy and upset. He set his carving tools aside and leaned down.  
"What's wrong pumpkin?" He motioned to pick up Alinae, and then set them on his lap.  
Alinae wrung their hands, and averted their gaze. "I'm hungry. My tummy hurts."  
"Didn't you eat dinner?"  
"No."  
George's face crumpled as he looked at his child's face, which started to scrunch up. George knew the faces Alinae made, this was one where they were trying not to cry. Seemingly ashamed that they dared have the simple want for food in their stomach as they slept.  
He picked them up carefully, having them sit on his hip as he walked into the kitchen.   
"What are you hungry for, Alinae?"  
Their voice broke, only slightly, "I don't know."  
George limped to the table and set them down. He turned to riffle through the cupboards. He then settled on the bread box. He pulled out bread and then rummaged for some hard cheeses Katjaa bought the other day. He made messy slices into the bread and cheese, George made a note to himself to tell Katjaa he was just hungry last night.  
George arranged the pieces together, then cut the crusts off and finally cut it diagonally.  
"Here you are, pumpkin." He put the sandwich into Alinae's small hands. "A secret sandwich."  
"Like a spy..."  
"Like a spy."  
Alinae ate the sandwich as quickly as they received it. George muses that they haven't eaten since breakfast. He brushed the crumbs off of them, and gave them a small glass of water. He kissed their forehead, and promised for what felt like the millionth time that George would teach them wood carving.  
George sat back down in his chair. He looked at the small Babaa carving he started, he felt no drive to finish it. He tossed it into the fireplace. He pinched the bridge of his nose and decided he had enough of how he was living, and vowed to make a change.  
-  
"Dear."  
George looked up from the papers he was writing on. Katjaa looked through him, then down at the papers.  
"What's all this?"  
"Prices." He smiled at her. "I'm going to hold a yard sale this year."  
Katjaa tilted her head, her curls following the movement and spilling to her sides. George still thought she was wonderful, even after all these years.  
"I've got quite a lot of things, don't you think?"  
"A lot of junk."  
"Yes, indeed a lot of junk." He grinned at her, then looked at his papers again. He listed every single thing he owned. He put prices on his livelihood. He hoped it would be enough. "But maybe someone here can use this stuff."  
Katjaa rolled her eyes. Not in a rude way, but that was her way of shrugging, George came to knew her like this. He always loved her eyes. Beautiful darkness against the orange fur. Alinae had their mother's eyes, all the more reason George loved Alinae.  
"Kat, I've never held one of these before." He aligned his prices together. "And you know people from all over come to our village's annual yard sales."  
"I suppose so."  
He did too.  
-  
"Dad?"  
George didn't move.  
Alinae tugged on George's overalls.  
"Dad?" They spoke again. "Why are you selling all your things?"  
George readjusted himself on his cane. "Tis' the season, you know."  
They fidgeted. "But dad you hate this kind of stuff."  
"You're right pumpkin. I do." He looked at his child, and tried to imprint their little face into his mind. "But I think it's well time to try something new, right?"  
Alinae furrowed their brows. "Maybe... But what can I do that's new?"  
"Alinae," He spoke gravely. "you can do anything you want."  
They tilted their head, just like their mother does.  
"You are so loved, my Alinae." He held their face in one hand. "You can do anything you want in this world. And I will always love you. You'll always be my pumpkin." He kissed them on the forehead, one last time.  
He hobbled away towards his workspace in the forest before Alinae could say anything.

Alinae never saw their father again after that day.


End file.
